Nail-machine.



No. 679,l28. Patented My 23, l90l. E. .1. SMITH & c. J. HILLABD.

NAIL MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept 13, 1800.)

5 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

THE norms PEYERS 60.. moycnurua. WASHINGTON. D. r:v

N0. 679,l28. Patented iuly 23, l90l. E. J. SMITH & C. J. HILLARD. NAIL MACHINE.

' (Application filed Sept. 13, 1900.| (No Model. 5 Sheets Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: lNVE/VTOR-S" y ATTORNEKSL- No. 679,l28. Patented July 23, I90l. E. J. SMITH & C. J. HILLARD.

NAIL MACHINE.

Apphcation filed Sept. 13, 1900.)

5 Sheets-Sheef3,

(No Model.)

' amen tow: Eula/ark? J WWW.-

Patented July 23, mm.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4-,,

NW 2: Mn a w. FE c m} W 4J m 3 1: Q/ M J n F u m & Mm 2. WEN 2 1: m mm; 1 H6 i I. a F a J m (No Model No. 679,l28. Patented July 23, mm. E. J. SMITH & C. J. HILLARD. NAIL MA'GI-I'INE.

(Application filed Sept. 13, 1900.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Shoat 5.

Hlllll llll the knife-blocks.

UNITED STATES PATENT EDVARD J. SMITH, OF PITTSBURG, AND CHARLES J. HILLARD, OF BENNETT, PENNSYLVANIA.

NAIL-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 0. 679,128, dated July 23, 1901.

Application filed September 13, 1900. Serial No. 29,963. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD J. SMITH, re-

siding at Pittsburg,and CHARLES J. HILLARD,

residing at Bennett, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented new and useful Improvements in Nail-Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

Our invention relates to machines for manufacturing wire nails; andone object of the same is to provide a machine in which the wire is stretched and fed automatically in desired lengths to mechanism which forms the head of the nail on the end of the wire and then feeds the headed nail forward and severs the wire to form a point to the nail; and another object is to provide mechanism which will operate in quick succession to feed the wire, form the head, and cut the point.

Still another object is to provide simple and efficient means for adjusting the various parts for taking up wear and to vary the length and contour of the nail and to provide reliable means for holding the. cutters in place and to permittheir ready removal; also, to provide a machine for the continuous and rapid production of nails from wire which shall be simple in construction, reliable in operation,and readily adjustable to varying conditions of wear and for different lengths of nails.

We attain these objects by means of the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of our invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of our invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the knife-blocks in position in one of the knife-block carriers. Fig. a is a rear elevationof the front portion of one of Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the rear portion of one of the knife-blocks. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the knife-key. Fig. 8 is. a plan view of the same. Fig. 9 is a face view of the dies and carrier-block. Fig. 10 is a plan of the same. Fig. 11' is a plan of the anvil-block with key. Fig. 12 is a face View of the same. Fig. 13 is an end elevation of the cross-head and bridge partially in section. Fig. 14 is a detail of the head of the pitman for the gripping device. Fig. 15 is a detail view of the same with wheel. Fig. 16 is a side View of the pusher-arm with adjacent parts. Fig. 17 is a detail of the hammer and guide.

Our machine comprises the followinggroups of mechanisms: a Wire-straightener, a feeder, a gripper, cutters, and a header. All of these devices are assembled and mounted on a bedplate A, which is placed in a horizontal position and Supported on legs. Each of these groups will be taken up in the order named and described, after which the complete operation of the machine during the manufacture of nails will be given.

The wire-straightener consists of a series of sheaves 1, keyed to stub-shafts 2. Two of the sheaves 1, with their shafts, are mounted to slide in grooves 3, which movement is controlledby adjusting-screws 4. N o novelty is claimed for this arrangement, and it is only included for completeness.

The feeder is rigidly secured to an arm 5, which arm is mounted to slide transversely in guides 6 and 7, bolted to the bed-plate A. This feeder consists of a pair of sheaves 8, mounted in a beveled carriage 9, constructed to reciprocate in a block 10, provided with a tapering groove 10. Then the arm 5 is reciprocated, the sheaves 8 will grip the wire which passes over their faces by wedging it firmly against the wall of the groove 1O when the arm is traveling in one direction and release it when traveling in the other. This feeder is already covered by Letters Patent and is included to facilitate the understanding of the machine. Connected to the outer end of the arm 5 is a pitman 11, which is oppositely connected to a link 12-. This link is longitudinally slotted at 13, provided with an integral ear 13 and is pivotally attached to the bed by a bolt 14. Mounted to slide in the slot 13 is a' wrist-pin 15, adj ustabl'y secured in a dovetailed groove 16, which diametrically traverses a face-plate 16, formed integral with the end of a shaft 17. The shaft 17 is j ournaled in boxes 18, supported on the bed of the machine. This shaft is the main driving-shaft for the machine and for that reason is fitted with a double pulley 19 and a fiy-wheel 20. By the above combination of portion 27 and a rectangular portion 28. A'

key 29 is seated adjacent to the carrier 23 and serves to hold it in place. The key 29 is securedby a bolt 30 passing through the anvilblock and into the key. The face of the carrier 23 is cut by a groove 31 throughout a portion of its length, and seatedin this groove 31 are two dies 32 and 33. Seated alongside the dies are gibs 34 and 35, The gib 34 is clamped firmly against the die 32 by means of adjusting-screws 36, thereby holding the die rigid; but the other gib, 35, is held loosely by screws 37, thus leaving the die 33 free to slide endwise. A screw 38 is also provided for longitudinal adjustment of the dies. Means for operating the movable die is provided in the shape of a pusher, which comprises a rod 39, a pivoted arm 40, and a pitman 41. The rod 39 is coned at one end at 39, and thereby adapted to fit a countersink 33 in the outer end of the die The opposite end of the rod 39 has a cup-shaped recess 39 therein, which fits the rounded point 42 of an adjustable screw 42, secured in the arm 40. The arm works on a pivot 43, extending into the base A, and is attached at its upper end to a pitman 44. Thispitman 44 extends up through a guide 45 and is surrounded by a stiff spiral spring 46, secured between a collar 47, keyed on said pitman, and a bracket 48, bolted on the bed. The head 49 of the pitman is bifurcated and transversely slotted at 50. Mounted in this slot 50 is a wheel 51, provided with integral stub-shafts. A single cam 52, keyed on the main shaft 17, serves to intermittently actuate the pitman 44, which motion is transmitted to the die 33 through the medium of the pitman, arm 40, and rod 39.

The spring 46 operates to restore the pitman to its initial position after displacement. A wire 53 is secured to the die 33 at 54 and to the arm 40 at 55. This wire serves to retract the die after each operation of the pushingrod 39.

The cutters for severing the wire consist of knives or cutters mounted in pivoted jaws 56. These jaws are pivoted on stub-shafts 57 and 58. (See Fig. 2.) The stub-shaft 57 is formed integral with a bridge 59, (see Figs. 1 and 13,) which is bolted to the bed. The shaft 58 is formed integral with a second bridge 60, secured beneath the bed, and is positioned directly beneath the shaft 57. The jaws 56 have arms 56 and 56 which are curved around, the arms 56 being above the bed. These four arms are united in pairs at their lower ends and form carrier-blocks 61 for knife-blocks 62. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) The carrier-blocks are transversely cut by dovetailed grooves on their inner sides at 63 and are cut away at 64 to accommodate the knifebloeks. These jaws are operated by toggles 65 and 66. The toggles 65 are pivotally attached one to each jaw, while the toggles 66 are pivoted to the bed. Pitmen 67 are joined to the two pairs of toggles and are constructed to be operated by the shaft 17 through the medium of eccentrics 68, ad j ustably attached to the upper ends. The knife-blocks each consist of two parts-a front member 69 and a rear member 70. Each rear member has a dovetail 71 formed integral therewith, which is proportioned to fit the corresponding groove 63 in the carrier-blocks. To hold the member firmly in place, a slotted bar 72 is provided, which extends across the face of the block and engages a bolt73, fitted in a threaded recess in the carrier-block 61. This arrangement permits transverse, adjustment. A dovetailed groove 74 is formed on the inner face of the member 70 and extendslongitudinally thereof, and seated in this groove is a dovetail 75, formed integral with the front member 69. An elliptical aperture 75 trave erses the blocks 61 and 62, and fitting in this aperture is a bolt 76, which serves to clamp and hold the knife blocks in place. The shape of this aperture allows latitude for adjustment. For the purpose of longitudinal adjustment of the knife-block the bar 72 is transversely apertured at 77, and fitted in this aperture is a threaded bolt 78. This bolt extends down and passes between the members of a bifurcated ear 79, formed integral with theknife-block. Collars 78 are formed on the bolt 78, which enables it to carry the front portion of the knife-block with it as it is screwed up. The front face of the block 69 is cut by a groove 80, provided to furnish a seat for a knife or cutter of ordinary shape. This groove traverses the face for about two-thirds of its length. It is inwardly beveled at 81 and shaped at 82 to accommodate a key 83. This key has a beveled portion 84, a rib 85, and a flange 86, provided to limit its movement. \Vhen this key 83 is inserted in the groove 80, a dovetailed groove is formed,within which the knife fits. It will be noted that means are provided by the construction just described for adjusting the knives or cutters in four directions. The knife can also be removed by removing the key and a sharp one substituted without disarranging the adjustments.

The hammer 86 for heading the nail is adjustably mounted in a sleeve 87 and secured therein by a screw. (Not shown.) The sleeve 87 is firmly secured in the lower end of aguide member 88, which is connected by ahinge-joint to apitman 89. The guide member is mounted to slide in a cross-head 90, which is bolted to the bed, and is fitted with IIO triangular guides 91 to steady its movement and add rigidity to the structure. The pitman 89 connects with a crank 92 on the main shaft 17. By virtue of this construction the hammer delivers a blow at each revolution of the shaft.

The operation of our device can now be given. Wire is delivered to the straightening device from a reel. It runs between the sheaves l and has the kinks taken out of it,

after which it passes into the clutches of the feeder. The feeder then intermittently draws it forward by holding it against the wall of the groove 10 by means of the two sheaves 9. The wire then goes through an aperture in the anvil-block and comes between the faces of the dies of thegripping mechanism. The dies are operated by the pushing-rod 39 and intermittently grip the wire, bur it, and hold it against retraction while the hammer delivers its blow to form theheadt- The cutters mounted in the knife-blocks are then ac-. tuated by the jaws and-sever thewire and simultaneously p.oint the nail. The wire is severed at a point above the faces of the dies, so that a length is left projecting just sufficient to form the head of the next nail. The sequence of the operations is feed, cut, grip, and head. As the three operations of out, grip, and head must be performed while the feeder is making the back stroke, the link motion of the feeder, heretofore explained, is a great improvement over existing machines and is almost indispensable.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim is v V 1. In a machine for making wire nails, the combination, substantially as described, with a feeder constructed to intermittently feed wire by being reciprocated, an arm mounted to slide in guides and bearing said feeder, a link pivotally secured at one end and bearing a rigid ear located intermediate its ends, a pitman pivoted at one end to said ear and at its opposite end to said arm, a wrist-pin mounted to slide in said link, and means for actuating said wrist-pin to reciprocate said feeder.

2. In a machine for making wire nails, the combination, substantially as described, with a feeder constructed to intermittently feed wire by being reciprocated, an arm mounted to slide in guides and bearing said feeder on its inner end, a link pivotally secured at one end and bearing a rigid ear. formed integral therewith and located intermediate its ends, a pitman pivoted at one end to said ear and at its opposite end to the outer end of said arm, a wrist-pin adjustably mounted in a groove and extending through said link, and means for actuating said pin to operate said link.

3. In a machine for making wire nails, the combination, substantially as described, of a carrier block having a dovetailed groove therein, a knife-block comprising a front member and a rear member, said rear member being provided with an elliptical aperture and having a dovetail thereon proportioned to fit the groove in the said carrier and a dovetail groove extending at right angles to the said dovetail; said front member having a dovetail thereon proportioned to fit the dovetail groove in said rear member and an elliptical aperture therein, and a bolt extending through said carrier and traversing the said elliptical apertures in said knife-block.

4. The combination, substantially as de-' scribed, of a bridge bolted to the bed of the machine, and spanning the guides for the.

hammer mechanism, a stub-shaft on said bridge, a pair of jaws pivoted on said stubshaft, and means for operating said jaws.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of the subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD J. SMITH. CHARLES J. HILLARD. \Vitnesses:

J. WV. KETLER, TH. P. Scorr, W. A. YOUNG. 

